Drive extension for kelly joints for rotary drilling rigs



June 12, 1962 c. 1.. DEELY 3,038,547

DRIVE EXTENSION FOR KELLY JOINTS FOR ROTARY DRILLING RIGS Filed Oct. 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AWE 5 17M 6. 51222) INVENTOR.

2 H15 BEEN;

June 12, 1962 c. L. DE ELY 3,038,547

DRIVE EXTENSION FOR KELLY JOINTS FOR ROTARY DRILLING RIGS Filed Oct. 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III i l 46 [fl/PFflL L L. .UEEZY INVENTOR.

[5 HGENT United States Patent 3,038,547 DRIVE EXTENSION FOR KELLY JOINTS FOR ROTARY DRILLING RIGS Carroll L. Deely, 6210 North Central Expressway, Dallas, Tex. Filed Oct. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 846,105 7 Claims. (Cl. 175-195) laterally, whereby an additional depth equal to the length of the Kelly joint extension may be drilled without breaking the connections in the drill pipe, and without having to come off bottom, or to shut down the pump, thereby enabling pressure to be kept on the drill bit or core barrel on the lower end of the drill stem at all times.

An object of this invention is to provide an extension drive for a Kelly joint of a rotary Well drilling rig which will enable greater depths to be drilled without having to shut down the drilling operation to add additional lengths of drill stem.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Kelly joint extension which will enable the core barrel to be maintained on the bottom of the well until the desired length of core is drilled, without having to shut down the pump or to add additional lengths of drill stem.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Kelly joint extension which will enable circulation of the drilling fluid to be maintained while the Kelly joint extension is being removed from around the drill stem,

Yet anothe object of the invention is to provide a Kelly joint extension which will enable the drilling of the length of the Kelly joint plus the length of the extension, to enable the washing of debris from the rat hole to prevent cores from wedging in the core receiving barrel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide at Kelly joint extension for drilling equipment which will enable the strata to be cored the full depth desired to be cored, without having to lift the bit off the bottom, which would cause the core to break off, and would prevent the spinning of the core barrel on the upstanding core and the disintegration of a section of the core before the coring is resumed.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide 21 Kelly joint extension which is positionedabove the rotary table, out of the mud and abrasive particles therein and the well cuttings washed up thereby.

Another object of the inventionis to provide at Kelly joint extension which extends above the rotary table, and which keeps the Kelly joint in axially aligned relation with the bore hole of the well thereby preventing the boring of crooked holes.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a Kelly joint extension which enables the same control to be had on the drilling string while the extension is being used as is bad while the Kelly joint extension is not being used.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a Kelly joint extension whereby a standard rotary table bushing may be used in the Kelly joint extension and in the rotary table, without the necessity of making alterations in the standard rotary equipment.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an extension drive for a Kelly joint, which extension does not extend into the bore hole of the well, and which does not necessitate the use of removable elements or packing within the well.

A final object of the invention is to provide an extension drive for a Kelly joint which is simple in construction,

easy to operate, sturdy and safe in operation both to the rig and personnel, easy to install and remove from the Kelly joint, and which is relatively low in cost of manufacture and of operation.

With these objects in mind and others which will become manifest as the description proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts in the several views I thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view with parts broken away, shortened, and shown in section, showing the supporting hook for a swivel and Kelly joint, and showing a Kelly join-t extension positioned around the Kelly joint and showing the Kelly joint extension seated within a rotary table of a well drilling rig, and showing lifting arrangement for the Kelly joint extension and the rotary table bushing;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of v FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken onthe line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, longitudinal, elevational view of the Kelly joint extension shown apart from the Kelly joint, and with parts broken away, with parts shortened,

and with parts being shown in section to bring out the de- Y tails of construction.

With more detailed reference to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates generally a fragmentary portion of a,

rotary table of a well drilling rig, which has a conventional axial opening 2 therethrough, the upper portion of which opening is squared, as indicated at 4-, and the lower portion of which opening has a downwardly and inwardly converging conical surface 6 to receive pipe slips therein. A traveling block hook 8 (traveling block not shown) is shown supporting a conventional swivel 10 by bails 12. The drilling fluid hose 14 is shown to extend outward from swivel 16, which hose 14 is adapted to connect to a mud pump (not shown) for pumping drilling fluid into the bore hole of a well, in a manner well known in the art of I rotary drilling. A length of drill stem 16 extends doumward from the swivel 14) and has a tool joint 18 inter-- connecting with the upper end of a Kelly joint 20, which Kelly joint is utilized for rotating the drill stem within the bore hole of a well through a driving connection made with the rotary table 1, as will be more fully brought out hereinafter.

The Kelly joint 213 is usually squared or polygonal in form and has a rotary drive bushing 22 complementally inter-fitted with the polygonal Kelly joint in driving relation, so as to enable the rotary table 1 to impart a driving connection to the Kelly joint 20, and at the same time, permit relative longitudinal, sliding action between the Kelly joint 20 and the rotary drive bushing 22. The rotary drive bushing 22 is squared, as indicated at 24-, and has a frustro-conical portion 26 therebelow, which squared,

Patented June 12, 1962' to have the Kelly joint extension at least several feet shorter than the Kelly joint, so that the rotary table drive bushing 22, together with the Kelly joint extension 28 may be lifted upward suificiently to allow the lower tapered portion 26 of the rotary drive bushing 22 to clear the upper end of the Kelly joint extension 28 and the lower squared end 32 of the Kelly joint extension to be lifted out of the squared recess 4 to the rotary table 1. However, in practice, it is desirable to have a Kelly joint extension about thirty feet in length, for a derrick of normal height. However, with Kelly joints having a length of approximately sixty-five feet, it would be possible to use a Kelly joint extension having a length of sixty feet, thereby enabling the drilling of one hundred and twenty-five feet without having to come off the bottom, and Without having to shut down the circulation of the pump, which will enable the insertion of four thirty-foot lengths of drill stem each time the drilling operation is shut down, thereby greatly expediting the drilling operation.

The portion of the Kelly joint extension 28 at the lower end thereof is squared, as indicated at 32, which squared portion is split longitudinally to form two halves, which halves are complementally fitted into the squared hole 4 in rotary table 1, so as to form a driving connection with the rotary table. The drive bushing halves, designated generally at 29 have the upper portions thereof turned to form a cylindrical neck thereon, so as to receive a longitudinally split tubular member 34 thereover, which portions of the tubular member 34 are welded to the complementary half sections of the bushing 29, as indicated respectively at 36 and 38. The portions of the split tubular member 34 which form the Kelly joint extension proper are preferably made of heavy tubular stock sufiicient to transmit the full driving torque of rotary table 1 to Kelly joint 20. The upper ends of semi-cylindrical, tubular members 34 have a longitudinally split bushing 40 welded thereto, which bushing 40 has pins 42 and 44 with the pin 42 forming a hinge pin and pin 44, on the opposite side therefrom, forming a connecting pin, the axes of which pins lie within the plane passing longitudinally through the tubular extension members 34 and through the bushing 29 mediate the juncture thereof.

The respective hinged ring members 46 and 48 are provided intermediate the length of and at the lower end of the Kelly joint extension. A hinge pin 50 is provided in each of the hinged ring members, and are in axial aligned relation with the hinge pin 42. Connecting pins 52 are provided in the hinged ring members 46 and 48 to enable connecting the hinged ring members together. In this manner connecting pins 44 and 52 may be removed and the longitudinal half sections of the tubular member 34, as well as the split drive bushing 29 and the split bushing 40 may be hinged about the axis of hinge pins 42 and 50, which will enable the Kelly joint extension to be removed laterally from around the Kelly joint 20, in a manner which will be explained more in detail hereinafter.

The connecting pins 44 and 52 have chains 54 and 56, respectively, secured thereto and to the respective portions of split bushing 40 and to one of the portions of tubular member 34. The upper end of each of the split tubular members 34 is welded, as indicated at 58 and 60, to the respective split portions of bushing 40. The portions of the bushing 40, when fitted together form a squared recess 62 in the upper end thereof, which recess is of the same size and is similarly shaped to the squared opening or recess 4 in the rotary table 1, and is adapted to complementally receive the squared portion 24 of the rotary drive bushing 22.

A downwardly tapered, inwardly converging slip bowl 64 of bushing 40 complementally receives the tapered portion 26 of rotary drive bushing 22 and also complementally receives pipe holding slips (not shown) in the same manner as they are received in the tapered bowl portion 6 of rotary table. 1. The recess 62 and tapered bowl portion 64 of the Kelly joint extension bushing 40 areof the same size and shape as the standard drive bushing openings in a rotary table, which standards are known as A.P.I. standards. Therefore, the present extension is so constructed that it may be used with any standard totary table and Kelly drive bushing without having to make any alterations therein.

The lower ends of each of the split tubular members 34 has a hand hole 66 therein, which is in the form of an elongated slotted opening, which will enable the portions of the split tubular member 34 to be opened or closed manually about the axis of hinge pins 42 and 50. Furthermore, this particular arrangement provides a safety feature, as no handle projections extend outward from the tubular members 34 to engage clothing of workmen, or to present other hazard, while the Kelly extension 28 is rotating.

The Kelly drive bushing 22 has two outstanding loops or ears 68 on opposite sides thereof near the upper end, and in which ears, hooks 70 may be selectively engaged. The hooks 70 are attached in the respective chains 72, which chains have loop members 74 on the respective upper ends thereof, which loops 74 engage a transverse spreader bar, which is supported by chain 75, which chain has a ring 74a on the upper end thereof, which ring engages with a second book 76 which is secured to the end of a hoist or catline 78. This enables the Kelly drive bushing 22 to be lifted from the recess 62 in Kelly joint extension member 28 or from the recess 4 in rotary table 1.

Each of the rings 74 also has a chain 80 connected therein which chains 80 extend downward, and each has a hook 82 on the lower end thereof. These hooks 82 are adapted to engage in looped ears or lugs 84 on opposite sides of hinged bushing 40, which looped ears 84 are spaced on the sides of bushing 40 remote from the respective hinge pins thereof.

The chains 72 are preferably shorter, by at least the length of the Kelly drive bushing 22, than the length of the chains 80. Therefore, with hooks 70 and hooks $2 engaged within the respective cars 68 and 84, upon tightening of hoist line 78, the Kelly drive bushing 22 will be lifted clear of the recess 62 in the Kelly joint extension 28, and then, upon further upward movement of hoist line 78, the bushing 29 on the lower end of split tubular members 34 will be lifted clear of recess 4 in rotary table 1.

With the Kelly joint extension 28 supported by chains 72 and 80, in the manner described, connecting pins 44 and 52 may be removed and the portions of the split lower drive bushing 29, the portions of split tubular member 34, and the upper drive bushing 40 may be opened sufficiently to allow the Kelly drive extension 28 to be removed laterally from around Kelly joint 20.

Operation To use the Kelly joint extension with a conventional rotary table 1, of a rotary drilling rig, a length of drill stem 16 is inserted into a mouse hole and the lower end of the Kelly joint 20 threadably connected to the upper end of the drill stem in the usual manner, whereupon, the Kelly joint 20 and length of drill stem 16 are lifted by traveling block hooks 8 to remove the drill stem 16 from the mouse hole, and with the drill stem 16 in the well supported by slips positioned in slip bowl 6 of the rotary table 1, the lower end of the length of drill stem 16 which is connected to Kelly joint 20 is threadably connected to the upper end of the drill stem 16, which is supported by the slips in the rotary table 1.

The drill stem 16 is then lowered, by traveling block hook 8, until the drill bit or the bit of the core barrel rests on the bottom of the well. With the drill stem in this position, the hooks 70 are engaged in ears 68 of the Kelly drive bushing 22 for hoisting upward, by hoist line 78, to a point above the Kelly joint extension 28, which has been positioned to one side of the Kelly joint 20,

whereupon, hooks 82 on chains 80 engage ears 84 on bushing 40. Then, upon continued upward movement of Kelly joint extension 28, this joint is lifted clear of the floor of the drilling rig until the lower end of the drive bushing 29 is slightly above the upper face of the rotary table 1. With the Kelly joint extension in this position, and with connecting pins 44 and 5-2 removed, the Kelly joint extension, which is composed of split members 29, 34, and 40, is hinged about pins 42 and 50 until a sufficient opening exists in the side of the Kelly joint extension 28 to allow the Kelly joint extension to be passed transversely around the Kelly joint and the length of drill stem 16, which has been added to the lower end of the Kelly joint 20. When in this position, the members 29, 34 and 40 are closed together until the holes in the complementary lugs of the bushing 40 and rings 46 and 48 are aligned, whereupon, connecting pins 44, 52 and 52 are inserted in the drive bushing 40 and the rings 46 and 48, respectively.

With the Kelly joint extension 28 connected together in the manner described above, the squared portion 32 of the drive bushing 29 is aligned with the squared recess 4 in the rotary table. The drive bushing 29 of the Kelly joint extension is then lowered into driving relation with the rotary table 1 by lowering the hoist line 78.

By lowering the hoist line 78 further, and with the squared portion of the Kelly drive bushing 22 in aligned relation with the squared recess 62 in the upper end of the Kelly joint extension drive bushing 40, the bushing 22 may be lowered into driving relation with the drive bushing 40. Whereupon, hooks 70 and 82 are disconnected from the respective ears 68 and 84, and with the hoist line 78, spreader bar 73 and chains 72 and 80 swung out of the way, the Kelly joint extension 28 and Kelly joint 20 are ready to be driven by the rotary table 1.

With the Kelly joint extension 28 in place, the rotary table 1 is rotated, which transmits torque through squared drive bushing 29, tubular member 64 and bushing 40 to Kelly drive bushing 22, which is fitted in driving relation round the squared Kelly joint 20. Whereupon the Kelly joint is driven in the same manner as if the drive bushing were fitted in the squared opening 4 in the rotary table -1 with the Kelly joint 20 sliding downward through the squared opening in drive bushing 22 to permit the drill bit on the lower end of the core barrel to drill into the earth strata in a manner well understood in the art of well drilling.

Tool joints 19 are provided for interconnecting the adjacent ends of drill stem 16 and for the connecting of the Kelly joint with adjacent ends of the drill stem.

As the drilling is continued, with the drill bit cutting into the earth strata, the Kelly joint 20 will slide downward until a depth equal to the length of the Kelly joint extension has been drilled. In so doing, the Kelly joint extension may be removed and the drilling continued without raising the drill bit or the core bit, as the case may be, from the bottom of the well and without cutting otf circulation to the bottom of the well. When this depth has been drilled, the Kelly joint extension 28 may be removed by lowering the hoist line 78, support member such as a chain 75, spreader bar 73 and support members, such as chains 72 and 80. Hooks 70 on the lower end of chains 72 are engaged in ears 68 on opposite sides of rotary drive bushing 22, and hooks 82 on the lower ends of chains 80 are engaged in ears 84 on the bushing 40, which bushing is secured to the upper end of tubular drive member 34. With the hooks connected in this manner, the hoist line 78 is moved upwardy, which will lift rotary drive bushing 22 out of slip bowl recess 64 and squared recess 62 in bushing 40, and upon further lifting action by hoist line 78, Kelly joint extension 28 is lifted upward until the squared portion 32 of the drive bushing 29 is lifted from recess '4 in the rotary table 1. With the rotary drive bushing 22 slidably supported on Kelly joint 20, by chains 72, above Kelly joint extension 28, and with the Kelly joint extension 28 supported above the rotary table 1, connecting pins 44, 52 and 52 are removed from bush- 6 ing 40 and rings 46 and 48 mit the hinging of longitudinal half-sections of Kelly joint extension 28 to pivot about hinge pins 42 and 50 until the opopsite side thereof is opened sufliciently to enable the Kelly joint extension to be passed transversely outward from around the Kelly joint 20, whereupon, by lowering the lower end of Kelly joint extension 28 to rest on a support, such as the derrick floor. Chains will then be loosened, which will permit the disengagement of hooks 82 from cars 84, which permits the Kelly joint extension 28 to be racked to one side of Kelly joint 20, for furture use. The hoist line 78 is then lowered to permit the Kelly drive bushing 22 to slide down Kelly joint 20, and with the squared portion 24 of the rotary drive bushing 22 in register with the squared recess 4 in rotary table 1, the rotary drive bushing 22 is lowered into the rotary table 1, whereupon, the chains 72 are loosened, which permits disengagement of hooks 70 from ears 68, and with the bit still on the bottom of the well and with the circulation still continuing through the Kelly joint 20 and drill stem 16, the rotary table 1 may be rotated, which will permit continued coring, if a core barrel is being used, until the full length of the Kelly joint moves downward through the rotary drive bushing 22. In this manner, the length of the Kelly joint extension 28 plus the length of the Kelly joint 20 may be drilled without having to come off the bottom or to shut down circulation, thereby giving long, uniform and unbroken cores,

and preventing the core bit or the drill bit from becom-' ing stock, as result of shutting down circulation whilethe drilling bit is still on bottom. This also eliminates the possibility of cores becoming wedged or jammed as result of having to lift the drill bit ofl? bottom and then going back on bottom to start coring again without pulling the string of drill pipe from the well and removing the portion of core already cut.

It is to be pointed out that the entire Kelly joint extension extends above the rotary table 1, and therefore is never subjected to mud and grit, therefore, the possibility of damage to the Kelly joint extension by abrasion is eliminated.

Having thus clearly shown and described the inven-' tion, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A drive extension member for a non-circular Kelly joint having a complementary, non-circular drive bushing slidably mounted thereon, which drive bushing is adapted to be used with a rotary table having a noncircular recess formed therein to complementally receive said non-circular drive bushing, which drive extension member comprises a pair of elongated, semi-tubular members, first bushing portions, one of which first bushing portions is secured to an end of each said semitubular member, which ends of said semi-tubular members are adjacent, to form a second non-circular drive bushing, which second, non-circular drive bushing is adapted to complementally fit within said non-circular recess in said rotary table and is adapted to be supported on said rotary table, with said elongated, semitubular members extending upward therefrom, second bushing portions, one secured to the opposite end of each semi-tubular member, said second bushing portions, when complementally fitted together, form a non-circular recess to complementally receive said first mentioned drive bushing therein in driving relation therewith, and means attachably connected to said pair of elongated, semi-tubular members to secure said members together to form an elongated tubular member.

2. A drive extension member for a Kelly joint having a complementary, polygonal drive bushing slidably mounted thereon, which drive bushing is adapted to be used with a rotary table having a polygonal recess formed therein to complementally receive said polygonal drive bushing, which drive extension member comprises; a pair of elongated semi-cylindrical members, first bushrespectively, which will pering portions, one secured to an adjacent end of each semi-cylindrical member to form a second polygonal drive bushing, which second polygonal drive bushing is adapted to fit within said polygonal recess in said rotary table and is adapted to be supported on said rotary table with said semi-cylindrical members extending upward therefrom, second bushing portions, one secured to each opposite adjacent end of said semi'cylindrical members, said second bushing portions, when complementally fitted together form a polygonal recess to complementally receive said first mentioned rotary drive bushing therein in driving relation therewith, and means attachably connecting said pair of elongated, semi-cylindrical members together to form an elongated cylindrical member.

3. A drive extension member as defined in claim 2, wherein semi-cylindrical reinforcing rings surround said semi-cylindrical members intermediate the ends thereof and are secured thereto, and wherein the ends of said semi-cylindrical rings over-lap in aligned relation, each of said rings having an aperture formed near each end thereof in parallel relation to the axis of said elongated, semi-cylindrical members, which apertures are in register when the ends of the respective rings are in overlapping relation, and wherein removable hinge pins are attachably fitted within said registered apertures of said over-lapping ring ends.

4. A drive extension as defined in claim 2, wherein said second bushing portions on said elongated, semi-cylindrical members each has an ear formed thereon, which ears are apertured.

5. A drive extension as defined in claim 4, wherein said first mentioned drive bushing has apertured ears formed thereon, and wherein support members are attachably secured to the respective ears of said first drive bushing and to each ear of said second bushing portions, said support members attached to said second bushing portions being longer than the support members attached to the ears of said first mentioned drive bushing.

6. A drive extension member for a Kelly joint having a complementary, polygonal drive bushing slidably mounted thereon, which drive bushing is adapted to be used with a rotary table having a polygonal recess formed therein to complementally receive said polygonal drive bushing, which drive extension member comprises; a pair of elongated, semi-cylindrical members, first bushing portions, one secured to an adjacent end of each semi-cylindrical member to form a second polygonal drive bushing, which second polygonal drive bushing is adapted to fit within said polygonal recess in said rotary table and is adapted to be supported on said rotary table with said semi-cylindrical members extending upward therefrom, second bushing portions, one secured to each opposite adjacent end of said semi-cylindrical members, said second bushing portions, when complementally fitted together form a polygonal recess to complementally receive said first mentioned rotary drive bushing therein in driving relation therewith, complementary pairs of members at spaced intervals along the length of said elongated, semi-cylindrical members, which complementary pairs of members have axially aligned apertures formed therein so when said complementary pairs of members are fitted together each complementary pair receives a hinge pin within said apertures, the opposite ends of each said complementary pairs of members being apertured so that the respective complementary pairs of apertured members are adapted to fit together so the apertures in adjacent ends of the respective, complementary pairs of members will be in register, and a connecting pin adapted to pass through said apertures in each complementary pair of members so as to selectively connect adjacent edges of said elongated, semi-cylindrical members together at spaced intervals throughout the length thereof.

7. A drive extension member for a Kelly joint having a complementary, polygonal drive bushing slidably mounted thereon, which drive bushing is adapted to be used with a rotary table having a polygonal recess formed therein to complementally receive said polygonal drive bushing, which drive extension member comprises; a pair of elongated, semi-cylindrical members, first bushing portions, one secured to an adjacent end of each semicylindrical member to form a second polygonal drive bushing, which second polygonal drive bushing is adapted to fit within said polygonal recess in said rotary table and is adapted to be supported on said rotary table with said semi-cylindrical members extending upward therefrom, second bushing portions one secured to each opposite adjacent end of said semi-cylindrical members, said second bushing portions, when complementally fitted together form a polygonal recess to complementally receive said first mentioned rotary drive bushing therein in driving relation therewith, ring members provided at spaced intervals along the length of said semi-cylindrical, elongated members, the ends of which ring members are over-lapping and complementally perforate, pin means which pass through complemental perforations in each said ring members along one side of said semi-cylindrical members to form hinge means, and the opposite, overlapping, complementally perforate portions of each said rings being provided with removable pins to provide connecting means along the opposite side of said semi-cylindrical members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,107,475 Foster Feb. 8, 1938 2,222,207 Teis et al Nov. 19, 1940 2,224,657 Rodgers Dec. 10, 1940 2,613,060 Trahan Oct. 7, 1952 

